Razor blade sharpener



' Jul 28, 1936.

E. A. JOHNSTON 2,048,868 RAZOR BLADE SHAR PENER .Filed Oct. 6, 1934 19 wjflzg Z3 29.7.. P 2 5 27 Z f Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for resharpening the edges of razor blades and more particularly to portable sharpeners for razor blades of the double edge wafer type.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient construction and arrangement of sharpening elements or units so disposed as to embrace both sides of the cutting edge of a blade and to cause relative movements between sharpening elements and blade of a character best adapted to restore the edge in the shortest possible time. Another object is to produce mechanism of the kind stated which is simple and compact and capable of enclosure in a casing that can be conveniently held in a users hand during manual operation of the device.

The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages which will become evident from the detailed description to follow, are accomplished by providing oppositely disposed, rockably mounted, members or heads provided with a novel form of abrading elements between which the blade edge lies and between which heads the blade is slidably held for reciprocation in a novel manner. The invention resides in the organization and details of construction hereinafter claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 is a side view of the device with one side or wall of the enclosing shell or casing removed to show the contained mechanism;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the device on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the upper portion of Figure I viewed from the right;

Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the rocking members;

Figure 6 is a detail view of a connecting and 40 actuating plate for the rocking members; and

Figures 7 and 8 are plan and edge views, respectively, of the blade holder, Fig. 8 showing the holder with the blade receiving surface turned upward.

In the practice of the invention there is preferably provided an oblong rectangular casing l0 containing the blade sharpening mechanism and provided with suitable openings in its walls for insertion of a blade holder or carrier and for the necessary control elements, as will be described.

The sharpening mechanism consists primarily of two oppositely disposed-rocker members, having oblong plates or heads H and I2 arranged in parallel or facing relation, as illustrated. Each head is rigidly secured to a support consisting of spaced arms 13 joined intermediate their ends by a connecting plate I4 and having angular extensions l5 to which the heads II and 12 are respectively secured. The rocker members are duplicates. As seen in Figure 2, the arms l3 pass 5 around one end of the respective heads and are inclined towards the central longitudinal plane of the casing. The lower ends of the arms I3 of head ll, consideredas in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, are pivotally connected to one 10 end wall of the casing as by a shaft I6 journaled in a hearing I! secure to one end wall of the casing. The similar arms l3 of head 12 are pivoted at l8 on the ends of a shaft l9 (Fig. 3) carried in the arms of a yoke 20 which in turn is is pivoted on a shaft 2| journaled in bearings 22 on the opposite casing wall. The yoke 20 is yieldingly held on the casing wall by a leaf spring 23 and a push button 24 protrudes from the casing wall and engages the bight portion'of the yoke 20 20, as shown. The axes l6 and I9 of the respective rocker members are thus parallel and located on planes crossing the heads at their transverse centers pivotally, The two rocker members are pivotally joined by, a connecting plate 25 having 25 extensions 26 pivoted to the respective arms l3 of the rocker members. The plate 25 has a vertical post 2'! whichis slotted or forked to engage an eccentric pin 28 on the end of a drive shaft 29 which projects from the casing where it is-secured to a crank handle 30. With the structure so far described, it will be clear that rotation of shaft 29 will reciprocate plate 25 and in turn rock the opposed heads ll, l2 on their pivots l6, l9. As the pivot I9 of head I2 is carried by the movable yoke 20, pressure on button 24 will move the heads apart, the purpose of which will be later referred to.

Extending across the casing on a line midway between the heads, there is a guide bar 3| formed with inwardly bent lips 32 (Fig. 2) to form a channel for reception of a slide bar 33 constituting the blade carrier or holder by which a blade is positioned and held between the heads. The bar 33 is provided with spaced studs 34 for engagement 45 in the openings of an ordinary double edge blade 35. One end of bar 33 is formed with a fingerpiece or handle 36 with a slot inward therefrom in which is mounted a spring pressed pawl 31 having a nose'38 adapted to interlock with a notch 39 in one end of a swinging lever 40. The other end of lever 40 is pivoted on the end of a shaft 4| held in a bracket 42 secured to the casing wall. Between its ends the lever 40 has a roller 43 at one side which engages in a groove of a cam 44 secured on shaft '29. Therefore, rotation of shaft 29 will swing lever 40 and reciprocate holder 33 on guide bar 3| as the heads are being rocked. Pressure on the projecting end of pawl 31 will serve to withdraw nose 38 from notch 39 and release the blade holder or bar 33 for withdrawal. When the holder is inserted the pawl will ride over the inclined end of lever 40 and automatically engage the notch. Pressure on button 24 moves the heads ll, 12 apart to permit insertion or withdrawal of the blade holder and blade.

Both of the oblong heads II and 12 are provided at their longitudinal margins with abrasive elements ll, l2. These are formed as a series of lugs or teeth (Fig. 1) the surfaces of which are curved on an are having the axis of the rocker head on which they are mounted as its center, as best shown by Fig. 5. These lugs or teeth on the respective heads interengage at their outer or higher portions, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, when in parallel or normal position, and move in and out on each other as the heads rock. This arrangement provides a junction line adjacent the cutting edges of a blade along which the concaved abrasive surfaces of the sharpening lugs intersect, and the blade edge is thus in close contact, on both of its sides, with the abrasive during all movements of the heads and blade, as the surfaces of the lugs substantially conform to the bevels of the blade edge.

With the construction and arrangement described, the blade edges will-be subjected to both transverse and longitudinal movement while in contact with the abrasive elements between which the blade edges are yieldably held under the pressure of spring 23 which tends to bring the heads together, the holder 33 then serving only to reciprocate the blade. ing effect on the cutting edges is thus assured.

It will be obvious that a number of modifications in .the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed are possible without departure from the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A blade sharpener comprising opposite, transversely rockable, sharpener heads having opposed concave abrasive elements positioned to Rapid and effective sharpensimultaneously engage the four sides of the cut ting edges of a double edge blade, means for reciprocably carrying a blade between said heads with its edges in engagement with the abrasive elements, and driving means for simultaneously rocking the heads transverse to the cutting edges of the blade and reciprocating the blade in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

2. A blade sharpening device comprising a 025- ing, a guide bar extending across the casing formed to receive a blade holder, a removable blade holder on said bar, a sharpener head adjacent each side of the guide bar, each head having an angular extension pivoted on the casing wall on an axis located at the side of the guide bar opposite from the head and extending parallel with the guide bar, opposed abrasive elements along the lateral margins of the heads, said element on the respective heads having surfaces curved on an arc with the pivot axis of the angular extension of the head as its center, said surfaces being positioned to simultaneously engage the four sides of the edges of a double edge blade when carried by the holder, means for yieldably clamping a blade between said surfaces, and a rotatable driving shaft for rocking both of said heads simultaneously thereby sweeping said arcuate surfaces over the edges of a blade carried by the holder.

3. The combination of claim 2 with the blade holder reciprocable on the guide bar, a lever pivoted within the casing and engaged with the holder, and a cam on the driving shaft having an operating connection with the lever for swinging same to reciprocate the blade holder.

4. A blade sharpener comprising parallel sharpener heads having opposed concave abrasive elements formed in spaced portions interfitting with those on the opposite head and positioned to engage opposite sides of the cutting edges of a double edge blade, means supporting said heads for rocking movement about axes extending longitudinally thereof, driving means for rocking said heads in unison, and means for removaly inserting a blade between said abrasive elements.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. 

